Course Highlight: Sustainable Fermentation

Where can you brew beer, make yogurt from scratch, learn about the inner workings of a cider house and produce a student-run magazine? In Chatham’s Sustainable Fermentation class as part of the Master of Arts in Food Studies, of course! I (Abigail Kneuss ‘22)—though not a food studies student—have had the exciting opportunity to take the course this semester. I sat down with the instructor, Assistant Professor of Food Studies, Sally Frey, Ph.D., as well as some fellow classmates to highlight a few of its great features. Check them out below—

Sally Frey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Food Studies
(she/her)

How would you describe the course?

Sally Frey: Fermentation is an incredible process by which microbes (yeasts, bacteria, and some fungi) transform foods into more digestible, nutritious, and flavorful versions of themselves. In the course, we experiment with fermentation as a culinary practice and connect the tradition metaphorically to broader discussions about sustainable food systems, health (human and environmental), and culture.

What are the unique aspects of the class?

SF: We are working with a few craft fermentation food businesses this semester: Threadbare Cider learning about their dry cider product development, Native Vinegar, and Hitchhiker Beer. Everyone is making a range of fermented foods and pulling together key concepts from experiential learning, readings, and lectures via a course magazine publication. The project provides us with a space for collaborative reflection on our experiences and empowers students to explore fermentation through creativity.

Students on a recent trip to Strange Roots Experimental Ales and Native Vinegar Co.

How did this course come to fruition?

SF: For most of my adult life, I have been an avid traveler. I lived in Tokyo, London, and Paris as well as Pittsburgh. I took my first professional cooking class with a group of Thai chefs in Bangkok and the focus of the course was layering flavors with fresh ingredients from the river markets. Shrimp paste, fish sauce—these complex fermented flavors and philosophies related to the process would find their way into most of the classes that I would later teach at Chatham. When I started at Chatham in 2010, fermentation was one of the first classes that I taught because the topic has such a natural connection to sustainability and food studies. Ironically, most of the classes that I teach have some sort of connection to fermentation– from The Politics & Pleasures of Chocolates, Wines, Ciders & Meads to undergraduate courses such as Food, Farm & Field and Sustainable Production.

How does this course further the mission of the Food Studies program and Eden Hall campus?

Haley R. Moore, MAFS ‘23 brews beer in class

SF: Fermentation aligns beautifully with aspirations for a sustainable and just food system on campus. By embracing fermentation and learning how to manipulate microbes and produce tasty, fermented, or preserved foods, we can connect to culinary and agricultural practices in a way that is rewarding and nutritious while rejecting the homogenization of much of the industrialized food system. Reducing food waste on campus through preservation and fermentation practices and sharing the results feeds our community.

What is your favorite part of teaching this course?

SF: Just last week, a student who took the course years ago gave me a jar of the latest miso experiment that they made. I think a great class shouldn’t end with the semester. I’m thrilled when students are not only making and enjoying fermented and preserved foods in their daily lives but continuing to think about the larger issues that we discuss in the class too. The enthusiasm is contagious, and I always find myself inspired and continuously learning more about fermentation processes and culture.

Students should take this course if….

SF: They have a curiosity for fermentation and want to learn more about the food system and culture while doing a lot of experiential projects and fieldwork in a cooperative environment.

Student Testimonials

Haley R. Moore, MAFS ‘23

“What makes this course specifically unique is that there is a wonderful blend of application and literature review. It’s one thing to read about fermentation, it’s entirely [different] to put those methods into practice. I sort of came to Chatham after I fell in love with sourdough and realized I wanted to be working in food and ag. Fermentation is my special interest, but also, I hope to continue researching food preservation methods for the duration of my life. I think fermentation, for me, is a beautiful blend of science, human choice, and the environment. Those three things combined are easily researched, but together, the area of intersection is murky, but not obsolete. I plan to use fermentation as a foundational tool in my academic career and personal life. Also, it’s just really fun. I mean, who doesn’t want to make an entire charcuterie board from scratch?”

Jared Greenberg, MAFS ‘22

“Our professor, Sally, lets us mold the class to our interests. I’m working on recipe writing and nonfiction writing which will help with my career. I have an interest in the alcohol industry and marketing. Fermentation products play a big role in these and often people have little knowledge of the processes behind these products. Our cider tasting and focus group with Threadbare Cider was a super fun trip that helped me with aspects of my thesis.”

Isabella Missell, MAFS ‘23

“In the sustainable fermentation class, I have had the opportunity to engage more thoughtfully with this fascinating transformative process that is integral to the production of foods I consume on a daily basis. My educational background, before coming to Chatham, is in culinary arts, so for me having a hands-on component to the class where we make different kinds of fermented foods and beverages has been really fun. My graduate interests revolve around an examination of the similarities between tea and wine production and consumer culture. Having an understanding of fermentation is fundamental for the work I will undertake.”

The food studies program is offered both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more about the exciting opportunities offered through the MA in Food Studies as well as the BA in Food Studies today!